The maid looked excited as she applied the makeup. In the end, Debra didn’t feel like the freckles were hidden very well and even with all the work Annie had done, she still looked as plain and drab as ever. It is better he knows I will never be pretty, she thought as she turned from the mirror.
Debra slowly walked down to the parlor, dreading the moment she would walk in the room and see the disappointment on Alex’s face. Pretending to have self-esteem would not help with Rilla and Kate in the room. Would he compare her to Kate and her other sisters? Kate originally expected to end the house party with a proposal. He came knowing there would be an introduction between them. As she entered, she searched the room and saw Trenton with her brothers.
Debra walked to the refreshment tray and picked up a glass of punch. She put the glass to her lips as her mother approached. “You look beautiful, darling.” She heard the words but didn’t believe them. Whenever her mother spoke of beauty, she always referred to Rilla, Diana, Adele, or Kate. She searched the room to see her older sisters spread throughout and knew she fell flat in comparison. He would now see this as her entire family was present and he would wish Kate was the one he was engaged to.
Do not strain yourself with a compliment you do not mean, Mother. She did not say the words out loud. It would not be proper. With an effort toward sincerity, “Thank you, mama,” she responded taking another sip of the punch.
Her mother looked at her nodding approval, and then pulled Debra toward Lord Trenton. “Be nice to him, he does not have to marry you. His father is situated far better than yours and he does have the choice to leave you a ruined woman.”
These words did not surprise her, although they hurt because they were the truth. There was no doubt in her mind of the care her family held for her, but they were realists, which made her desire the pen and paper much more than a party.
Trenton looked at her, as she approached. She couldn’t read the expression on his face. Insecurity convinced her he was hoping to find a way out of the engagement, especially after spending time with her sisters. He held his arm out and took the glass of punch from her hand.
“You are beautiful tonight, Love.”
She nodded her thanks. Gaining a bit of sass at seeing him again, she asked, “You have been at Woodland Manor long enough to make a decision, do you wish you had been caught in the barn with one of my sisters?”
“Darling, no, you are more than enough.”
She gave him a scowl that would have sent a normal man running from her presence, instead he laughed.
In her anger she whispered, “Stop laughing at me.”
“Why, when you entertain me so well?”
She looked around the room to see if anyone was watching their exchange, but it seemed as though everyone was caught up in their own conversations. “I am not trying to be humorous. I am trying to behave like a lady.”
“Do not change on me, Poppet. I enjoyed your sharp tongue and innocent questions,” he whispered with a smile.
She pinched his arm in reply. He gave her a that hurt look, but she did not respond as she noticed her uncle and aunt walking toward them.
“Lord Trenton,” Debra said, “my Aunt and Uncle Bosworth.”
“We are very happy to meet you, Lord Trenton,” Aunt Bosworth said with a pleasing smile.
“We have heard wonderful things about you,” Uncle Bosworth said as he lifted his glass for a drink.
“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Lord Trenton responded.
“I must admit we heard more about you from our niece Kate than we have from Debra,” Uncle Bosworth said with a questioning look.
Lord Trenton didn’t miss a second to think about a response. He looked at Debra then back to the Bosworths. “It is very kind of her to speak well of me.”
Before a response could come from her uncle, dinner was announced. Alex escorted Debra into the dining room and helped her with her chair.
He leaned close to her ear while everyone was taking their seats. “What would Kate have to say about me? We had not met until this morning.”
“Why do you want to know? Do you plan to thank her?”
“I intend to stay away from her. But I would like to know what has been said.”
The earnest look he gave put a smile on Debra’s face. “She most likely spun a tale of disappointment and betrayal… on my part. She would have painted you as the unsuspecting dashing young man who fell into my web of deceit.”
“Are you ever serious?”
“What fun would there be in such calm and unassuming behavior?”
She watched as Lord Trenton went back to focusing on his plate, he did not spare a look in Kate’s direction. It was a small victory for her, but should it have been? Even though he did not pay attention to her sister, each round of food caused her distress as she noticed the glares Kate sent her direction.
“Why do you let her intimidate you?” he asked as she exchanged a scowl with Kate.
Debra glared at him. “You have one sister and one brother. You will never be able to understand.”
He shrugged his shoulders in response.
Debra put her fork down and pushed her plate away. They were only on the third course, and she was full. “Did you ever have to compete for your parents’ affection?”
“No,” he said without thought, “there are three of us and two of them along with my aunt who cares for Freddie. Why must you compete?”
“When my mother speaks of beauty, she refers to my older sisters. I have never heard her say, Debra is beautiful.” Saying the words, she’d only ever allowed herself to think caused a tear to escape. Fighting back the emotions, she stopped speaking and stared at the table to gain control. It was amazing the things one noticed when trying not to cry. The material used to cover the table was a beautiful lace, Debra had never paid attention and wondered if it was the work of her mother or a sister. With her mind full of questions on the material, her tears dried up.
“Perhaps your mother has referred to you as such when your sisters were around, but you were not.”
Debra gave an indulgent smile. In a very quiet, almost whisper she said, “Think what you wish. My freckles will always be on my face. I will never be able to rid myself of them.”
“Why would you want to do something so drastic?”
“Do you really not see the problem? You must be more idiotic than I originally concluded.” She turned from him as though he wasn’t worth her time. “If you keep saying such stupid things, I will end our engagement based on your lack of intelligence.”
“Your argument with Kate has nothing to do with beauty. If I am correct, it has to do with the marriage market.” She shrugged at his attempt to ignore her rudeness.
“You are the heir to a fortune, you hold a title, and will become a duke one day. You do not have to compete with other men for women.”
“Not exactly true.”
Debra wondered what he meant by his comment, but she didn’t ask. “You would not understand.”
“Then explain it to me,” he said in annoyance.
“I have four sisters.” Debra whispered. Trying to formulate the proper words to help him understand her plight, she hesitated. Unfortunately, uncle Bosworth’s voice rose above the conversation in the room.
“You have managed to surprise me, Norwood. I never would have thought Debra to be the second daughter married.” Uncle Bosworth slurred his words, yet not enough to hide his meaning. “You have too many daughters to marry off as it is. You should have negotiated to get rid of the eldest first. It will not be long before she is a beautiful spinster. Age and beauty do not go well together.”
“Bosworth,” her father responded, “I could not be happier for Debra and the match she has made.”
Debra whispered to Trenton, “My uncle and aunt do not know the circumstances behind our engagement.”
“I agree, brother. I agree. I am proud of her as well. She is the plainest of your daughters and the shock of red hair has
made me question if she is even one of yours,” he said with a conspiratorial laugh toward Debra’s mother.
Debra didn’t dare look at Trenton. She didn’t want to see his response. This was where he would realize she was an ugly little girl. The confident, sassy, and extreme creature he’d met in the barn was now to be exposed as a fraud.
“Bosworth,” her father said. His voice rising in anger. “Debra is the image of my late mother. She is my daughter.”
“I meant no disrespect, Norwood.” Bosworth took another drink and motioned for the footman to refill his glass. “But if you are being honest, she is the plainest of your daughters. And I never would have thought a girl with all those freckles and no chest would be the second to make a match.”
She noticed Trenton adjust in his seat and Samuel put a hand on his arm. She could not hear the whispered discussion between Samuel and Lord Trenton but dared a look and saw his face contorted in anger.
She wondered what the conversation was in his head. Why he was so angry. Bosworth wasn’t talking about him. He was pointing out how hideous she was in comparison to her beautiful sisters.
“Bosworth,” her father said in obvious anger, “you have had enough to drink. Eat your dinner.”
“The chit knows she is an ugly little thing,” he whispered in a carrying voice. “If Trenton was not wealthy, I would assume he was after her dowry. Seventy thousand pounds is a large sum. With her plain features, I imagined her married to a clergyman, not an earl. Certainly not an heir to a dukedom— the future duke of Waverly is marrying my ugly little niece.”
“Seventy thousand pounds,” Rilla cried out from the end of the table, “her dowry cannot be seventy thousand pounds. Mine was only twenty thousand.”
The sum of her dowry was what her sister took from their uncle’s words? Would no one defend her and make claim to her worth? Dismayed and hurt by the words, Debra looked at her father. She expected him to defend her. She did resemble his mother.
“We will discuss this later.”
“No,” Rilla cried, “we will discuss this now. Why does she get seventy thousand pounds?” She was nearly in tears at the pronouncement. “What are the amounts of everyone else’s dowries?”
This was truly the conversation. Her uncle had destroyed all sense of self-confidence and her sister was crying over the amount of Debra’s dowry. If she was not sitting in the room, she would have considered it impossible. Yet, the conversation continued.
“The others will also receive twenty thousand pounds,” her father said motioning for the footmen to relieve them of their plates and start the next course.
The uproar in the room brought shame to Debra. What would her future family think of them?
“Why does Debra get more than us?” Kate cried to their father. “Is this why Lord Trenton chose Debra over me?”
Diana glared at Debra. “Do we all have to lose our reputations to get seventy thousand pounds?”
Debra sat back and closed her eyes. Was Diana right? Was the amount of her dowry due to her ruin? She was surprised when she heard Trenton whisper, “Your sisters are vultures.”
“What do you mean lose your reputations?” Uncle Bosworth called out as he emptied his glass again.
Rilla sobbed. “George and I could use another fifty thousand pounds, Father. I did not marry a wealthy man. Debra will not have a need for money. George and I are poor and trying to live on the interest of my dowry.”
“I will have silence,” her father yelled above everyone in the room.
Debra chanced a glance at the duke and duchess worried they’d be embarrassed by the uproar. As the footmen brought the next course to the table, her father glared his daughters into silence.
“Debra’s dowry is different than the rest of yours because your grandmother left the remaining balance of her allowance to her.” He turned to Mr. Bosworth and scowled at him. “The information was given to you in confidence. I have five daughters and you know the length of envy filling the halls of this home.”
Uncle Bosworth was inebriated leaving Debra with the hope he wouldn’t remember the conversation by morning, but Aunt Bosworth wasn’t. “Why would Diana think Debra’s reputation has been ruined?” Aunt Bosworth asked in a soft voice as the room quieted.
Both her mother and father glared at Diana who bowed under the pressure. “I spoke out of turn Aunt. Debra’s reputation is secure.”
Kate gave a wicked smile. “If only the rest of us could be as lucky as Debra, our parents would have a herd of illegitimate grandchildren.”
Debra glared at her sisters hurt by their words yet knowing they were right. But these were her sisters. They should stand by her and support her. She made to stand but Lord Trenton took hold of her arm and kept her at the table. He waited until her mother and father were disciplining Kate before whispering in her ear. “If you leave now, it only lends credibility to their comments.”
Debra was angry with her sisters but agreed with his statement as she looked into his hazel eyes. They held so much compassion, she had to stay. As dinner ended and the women went to the drawing room while the men stayed behind, she thought of her characters in hopes of taking her mind away from reality and into a world where a woman could run away and find a handsome honorable man who would whisk her off to Gretna Green.
As she entered the room, she moved to her normal spot in the corner, normal for when her aunt and uncle visited. It was the easiest place to stay out of sight. She picked up her notebook and pencil and started to write. When she was home, she used a graphite pencil so she could pretend to draw.
“Debra?” Aunt Bosworth said as she moved to the side of the room. “You look pale darling.”
Kate shot a glare in her direction. “Do not worry Aunt. In nine months, all will be well.”
Debra closed her eyes and started counting. She hoped to hold her temper while Alex’s family was on premise. It would not be appropriate to join the argument, and what would they think of their future daughter?
“Kate, you do not know what you are talking about,” their mother said. “I tire of your petty behavior.”
“Petty behavior?” Kate said with a fake smile. “Debra knew I was interested in Lord Trenton and I wanted an introduction to him.”
Debra looked over and calmly responded, “I did not take him from you, Kate.”
“As you have said many times since arriving home with a fiancé.”
Debra sat with her feet on the couch and pulled her knees to her chest. She buried her head against her knees and closed her eyes as she listened to Kate’s complaints.
“It is too much of a coincidence. Debra went riding on a morning of an ice rain. The only ice rain to hit these parts in years. And while out there, she met Lord Trenton. It is too much of a… coincidence.”
“Stop speaking around the topic and say what you want,” Diana said to Kate, “you have practiced since the announcement of their engagement.”
“Fine,” Kate said crossing the room to where Debra sat, “fine. I will say it. I do not care who hears.”
Debra put her legs down from the couch. “Please say what you want so we can move past this.”
“You are our youngest sister. It is not fair for you to get married before us. We thought it was an offense when Rilla married Mr. Baker last year. But it hurts now you are to marry Lord Trenton, when I was supposed to be the one to marry him.”
“You had not had an introduction to him yet. Anything could have happened.” Debra tried to sound reasonable, but it was a challenge given the situation.
“Anything did happen, did it not?” Kate yelled.
Debra shrugged her shoulders and stood to leave. “I have a headache. I will retire for the evening.”
Kate pushed her. “You are an ugly little coward!”
The words hurt, but Debra wouldn’t let anyone see the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. “I care not to fight with you, Kate.”
“What happened to your temper?” Kate taunte
d.
Debra sighed her emotions barely under control. “What do you want from me?”
Kate raised her chin, so her nose was partially in the air. “I want an apology.”
Debra laughed. An apology? It was absurd. “I forgive you for your rudeness, Kate. Holding a grudge takes too much energy.” Debra left the room without another word.
Chapter 11
As Alex entered the drawing room with the men, there was an obvious tension. A quick exchange with his mother told him the reason Debra was absent. He thought about going after her but decided against it. A private assignation at night, in the hallway outside her chambers, was not the way to clear the air of suspicion around them. With such an action, they’d be married by special license that evening.
It might be best, he thought as he took a seat at the game table. The whole house party mess on top of the wedding would be the perfect setup for a scandal, especially with Debra. She had a penchant for trouble.
Throwing a sixpence on the table, Alex waited for the cards. Debra distracted his mind, and he did not like it. She had a way of making him happy and angry at the same time. When he was near her, she could confuse his emotions to no end, and then infuriate him with the next statement from her mouth, and those were only the experiences from inside the barn. With the bit of time they’d spent together since arriving at Woodland Manor, she’d tied him in a knot and each conversation with her tightened the ropes.
“Are you staying in, Trenton?” Alex looked up at Lord Norwood’s question. Looking back to his cards, he shook his head and placed them on the table.
In truth, he had no idea where the bet lie and who opened the bids. He hadn’t watched for any of the features important in a round of cards indicating if the person was bluffing or serious. It was best in this situation to fold since he only had two pair and they were low numbers at that.
Alex watched as Baker won the round. He smiled and pulled the money to his side of the table, gathering it as though it were loot for a pirate. Throwing another sixpence in, he decided it would be best to keep his mind in the game, if he planned to continue to play. This time, as he picked his cards from the table, he held back a smile. He only needed one card to complete the flush of diamonds. Trading one card, he noticed Baker threw four on the table for the dealer to switch out.
Wit & Intrigue (An Assignation to Remember Book 1) Page 6
